Published: Monday - August 6, 2007
Words by Mike Cooper
Peeping Tom's Mike Patton (Photo: Ipecac Recordings)
Some say he's an artist's artist. Others say a crazed vocal lunatic, a crooner harking back to the age of the Rat Pack, or a boundary breaking scientist who experiments in terror.
He's part myth, part legend, part mouse and part man. Wholly, he's lyrically sick, a workaholic drunk off his own vigor, conqueror of every conceivable music scene, deity in every social one, and antagonist to most card carrying members of the AARP.
He's Mike Patton by name, singer by trade, and verbal Samurai with a tongue for a blade.
He's been the frontman for cult favorite Mr. Bungle and for Faith No More, Tomahawk, Lovage, and now Peeping Tom, a supergroup too far fetched in nature for even Greek mythology.
Featuring Kool Keith, Rahzel, Massive Attack, Norah Jones, Dub Trio and production from Dan The Automator, Odd Nosdam, Amon Tobin and Jel, Peeping Tom combines elements of rock, pop, hip-hop, bossa nova, spying on you neighbor's daughter, ghettotech, soul and lounge into a profusion of styles and possibility.
While on tour with Peeping Tom, Mike Patton sat down BallerStatus before an enthralling performance that would turn one adolescent security guard to therapy.
BallerStatus.com: This is a great album. A bit different for you, but every release seems to be. How many demos were there for this?
Mike Patton: That's probably my fault for opening my mouth too soon. I don't know. A lot of the demo... I kind of got to the point with this group where it was like I didn't really demo shit anymore. Everything sounded good and they just became finals. You know? There were a lot of tracks and stuff that I didn't use. Not that they weren't equally as good. Just didn't fit with what we had.
BallerStatus.com: How did you first come to meet Dan [The Automator]?
Mike Patton: Out in San Francisco. I think it was in 2001 or 2002. I think... well if I remember correctly, I think I contacted him out of the blue about working on this. And then a bunch of other sh-- happened and we did Lovage. (laughing)
BallerStatus.com: Big fan of Lovage. On that note where did you find Jennifer at?
Mike Patton: She's been around for years. She's great. Have you heard of her band?
BallerStatus.com: No I have not.
Mike Patton: It's called Elysian Fields. They're certainly worth a listen.
BallerStatus.com: Lovage is such a unique project. Can think of a number of folks who take heed on the album title and use it in the bedroom, myself included. Did you ever listen to it in that setting?
Mike Patton: No. Oh God no! Thanks for asking, though. Nice to know people wonder.
BallerStatus.com: You never play your own stuff?
Mike Patton: No. Especially not in moments like that. It's weird enough already.
BallerStatus.com: What was the writing process for that like? Was it like the scene of a cheap porno?
Mike Patton: For that record? Dan had a bunch of tracks that were completed or close to it. He had skeletons and me, her and him just punched them all out. We wrote most of the lyrics together. We did it all really off the cuff.
BallerStatus.com: You just did that one tour for it?
Mike Patton: Yeah. Right after it came out. You can only imagine. Jennifer and I... and Dan set the mood.
BallerStatus.com: Will there be another Lovage in the near future?
Mike Patton: At some point. There are some things we've been talking over.
BallerStatus.com: So what is out there on the horizon? Tomahawk?
Mike Patton: Tomahawk is done should be out there soon.
BallerStatus.com: Will it have the same rock flavor?
Mike Patton: No, it's different. It's different. It will be nice. Much quieter. More texture A lot more shit going on. It just might have a touch of Native American flavor too. Can't spoil it.
BallerStatus.com: Same members still intact?
Mike Patton: Minus the bass player.
BallerStatus.com: A story to that?
Mike Patton: Nah, nothing worth repeating.
BallerStatus.com: With Fantomas, was it you that came to them with that idea? An idea of madness.
Mike Patton: Yeah, yeah. I had all the stuff and made little recordings with it to grasp what I wanted and then went to them and said, "Hey I've got this crazy idea."
BallerStatus.com: The next one supposed to be more electronic and focused on you?
Mike Patton: That's the idea. Peeping Tom was just something I heard in my head. What it is, how you can describe or genre it,and how it fits into the real world is anyone's guess. I don't care what the general public does. I don't care how or if they perceive this, or what they listen too. It's just good music. There's always been. I suppose when cavemen first started tapping their hands on rock, there was good and bad versions of it. There's always been awful sh--.
BallerStatus.com: It seems like you've never cared, or better put, paid attention to accolades or awards throughout your career.
Mike Patton: Well no. But it's nice to have people appreciate what you do. You can't let that be the driving force though. Those that make music for the sake of that end up making bad tapping. It shouldn't be why you do what you do. But it's great if people listen.
BallerStatus.com: Considering the fact that every single album or project you've been a part of is light-years off from the previous one, is there a premeditated process when you start one to do something completely different?
Mike Patton: No! That's a losing proposition right there. I basically just do what I hear. You know?
BallerStatus.com: God only knows what it's like to live inside your head. Have you even scratched the surface on releasing all that's bouncing around your skull?
Mike Patton: No, I'm no where near that. There are even some sounds that are better if I keep them to myself, they might even scare the diehard Fantomas lover. But I'm hard at it, so I'm doing my part. Sometimes what you're hearing doesn't always come out the way you heard it. Sometimes it's better. Sometimes it's different. But... I don't know. I made a record like this because I felt like making a record of songs. I've been meaning to have a project that was pretty linear, with song structure.
BallerStatus.com: Will we ever see a Moonraker reunion?
Mike Patton: I don't know. Maybe. That's a type of odd thing I do from time to time. It's fun.
BallerStatus.com: Does Brian wear the mask when he's with you?
Mike Patton: Brian? God, I never call him that.
BallerStatus.com: Were you instructed to call him Buckethead?
Mike Patton: It was just Bucket. I had no idea who you were even talking about for a second. He will not go on without the mask.
BallerStatus.com: I've seen him maybe five or six times and he would obviously never allow the audience to see his face. Does he at least take it off backstage? Or is he that dedicated to it?
Mike Patton: Oh no, backstage he takes it off.
BallerStatus.com: Thank God! So he's not as creepy as some of his fans are convinced he is.
Mike Patton: Yeah, but he will not go onstage without it.
BallerStatus.com: He doesn't have any scars? A mental issue perhaps?
Mike Patton: No, no, no. He's a regular guy. (laughing) A kind of tall robot looking guy. But normal for that type of person. Good dude. Very shy.
BallerStatus.com: Will you be working with Massive Attack again?
Mike Patton: Yeah I've worked with them for their next record. Knowing them? God only knows when we'll see it. We really are not in any hurry. Put out a record every five years, that's decent plan. I'll do a couple more myself, no telling what, and then Peeping Tom should be back around with another installment. It's far down they line, but there will defiantly be a couple more. At least.
BallerStatus.com: What is the deal with the video game character you're doing? I've been hearing about this.
Mike Patton: Yeah. I did a crazy voice for a character in a video game. There were a lot of weird screams and such.
BallerStatus.com: What's the character?
Mike Patton: Too be honest I don't really understand. There's a weird long story to it that they tried to explain to me over and over. I never quite got it though. It's kind of like the voice in side of some guy's head telling him to do bad things.
BallerStatus.com: God forbid you be in anyone else's head. One is enough for you.
Mike Patton: I had all sorts of lines. Tons of lines. They would make you do each line ten different ways. It got a little tedious. It was fun. Never done anything like that before.
BallerStatus.com: What's up with the film you were working on?
Mike Patton: It's an indie film. They have a great idea and then lose financing or an actor and it fades away. It was literally like a done deal like two years ago. They keep calling me to give me updates, but it was their thing. We'll see what happens. It may never happen.
BallerStatus.com: Do you feel you'll get posthumous recognition the same way underappreciated artist like Frank Zappa from the 60s get it now?
Mike Patton: Any kind of recognition at any time is fine by me. I don't know. I don't think about that stuff to be honest.
BallerStatus.com: Your fanbase is hard too describe.
Mike Patton: I don't know them very well. You know. It's nice to have different people listening to your shows. You can't pick and choose who listens. I don't care what they look like. Or what they dress like. Or any of that other sh--.
BallerStatus.com: Do you speak any other languages besides Italian?
Mike Patton: No. I can barely speak English. I like to sing in Italian. I will be doing a series of concerts over there, to end the spring, and recording them. Feel free to check them out. We'll have an orchestra and stuff. It will be an easy listening record. (laughing).
BallerStatus.com: How long did it take to make Adult Themes for Voice? I've always been curious about that.
Mike Patton: I didn't really sit down and do it at one time. I just kind of did it. I didn't even know I was making a record of it at the time. I was just doing all these experiments with various voices I could force out. I was just goofing around really. And I played some of for someone and they were like, "Oh my God, you've got a record."
BallerStatus.com: You first crossed paths with John Zorn right before he did the Bungle album?
Mike Patton: Yeah he mixed it. I went and saw him play. I walked up and talked to him and then sent him a tape a little while later. He does really do stuff like that, picking up tapes from a fan, much. It was good to have someone like that holding our hand. You know?
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